Beverage dispensing systems are configured for dispensing beverages on demand from a beverage source. Beverage dispensing systems are typically used in commercial settings, such as restaurants and bars. These beverage dispensing systems can dispense not only non-alcoholic beverages but also alcoholic beverages, such as beer or wine. The dispensing of beer and other beverages from kegs is well known and keg beer provides an economic method of packaging beer and delivering it to consumers on demand.
Since beverages are most often delivered in a chilled state, the source of the beverage, such as a beer keg or wine, must be chilled in order to deliver it in a chilled state. Cooling of beer kegs can be accomplished in any number of different ways including less complex ways such as immersing the beer keg in a container that includes ice. However, this practice is somewhat inconvenient, messy and involves considerable effort and labor both before and after use.
Other attempts have been made to maintain a cooled temperature of the liquid of the keg container and beverage dispensing system. However, these attempts have associated deficiencies including that only a portion of the beverage dispensing system is actively and adequately cooled, thereby leaving other portions of the dispensing system unchilled and/or inadequately chilled. In the case of beer, as the beer flows through these unchilled regions, the temperature of the chilled beer rises and this results in foam being formed when a user operates the dispensing system (such as at a keg tap). The production of foam is most often caused by the beer keg and/or beer in the dispensing lines being exposed to too warm a temperature resulting in heating of the beer and foaming.
More particularly, most establishments serve more than one type (brand) of beer and therefore, there are multiple kegs, each containing one type of beer. These multiple kegs are often times cooled by placing all of the kegs in a single refrigerated area, such as a walk-in-refrigerator or kegerator. Alternatively, there are cooling jackets that can be disposed about each keg for cooling thereof. The jackets circulate a cooling fluid about a surface of the jacket. However, these systems suffer from a number of deficiencies including that at best they only cool select portions of the overall system, thereby leaving the other portions exposed to room temperatures. Even placement of insulation along lines does not sufficiently chill the beer flowing therein. Since the beer is not cooled along the entire length of the dispensing pathway, the temperature of the beer becomes elevated and foam results when the beer is dispensed. As described below, the cooling system 100 of the present invention overcomes these disadvantages.
Some of the existing systems for cooling a liquid include direct draw systems (kegerators). However, kegerators have the following deficiencies: (1) they are bulky, and take up a lot of valuable space; (2) tap towers are not actively and/or adequately cooled or temperature controlled; (3) all kegs are cooled to the same temperature; and (4) kegs are difficult to access. Other systems include long draw systems (walk-in refrigerator); however, these systems suffer from the following deficiencies: (1) require a lot of space; (2) kegs are vulnerable to temperature fluctuations if people frequently enter the refrigerator; (3) all kegs are cooled to the same temperature; and (4) no temperature control on the trunk line or tap tower.
Other existing systems include jacketed cooling systems; however, these systems suffer from the following deficiencies: (1) all kegs are cooled to the same temperature; (2) kegs are cooled in series; (3) the entire path of the beer line is not chilled and/or insulated; and (4) no temperature control on the trunk line or tap tower.
Other cooling solutions that have been tried include but are not limited to: (1) the use of an insulating jacket (no active cooling); (2) insulating jacket with ice packs of some other frozen material; and (3) a “Jockey Box” (kegs are not cooled but beer passes through coil immersed in ice water).
There is therefore a need for providing a more comprehensive cooling system for a beverage dispensing system (e.g., beer dispensing system) that is completely temperature controlled, configured to cool the beverage along its entire path from the beverage source to the point of dispensing to the consumer, as well as having the capability to cool and maintain each keg at different temperatures.